Red Blossom
by Saline Dreamer
Summary: To survive in fear and secrecy, or to live the truth and risk death? Hana, a halfbreed taboo child, has chosen the former and lived peacefully until a brush with the Sanzo Party brings an ugly part of her past to the forefront and puts all in danger.
1. Prologue: Run Away

**Prologue – Run Away**

"_Hey, Hana, the guys are coming over tonight. You know what that means, right? Just stay here in the kitchen out of our way unless I call you."_

_"Yes, sir." Carefully avoiding her stepfather's eyes, the girl bowed to show her understanding and obedience. "Do you want me to bring up the rest of the beer from the cellar?"_

_"Yeah, do that." The man disappeared back into the main room of the house, flicking a bit of cigarette ash on the kitchen floor as he walked away. Sighing defeatedly, Hana grabbed the key to the cellar from a hook on the wall and went to do as she was told, carefully making her way down the dimly lit stairs into the earthen pit under the house that served as a makeshift storage space as well as a quiet refuge for the girl on nights like this._ Now that Mom and Kuren are gone, that bastard does whatever he pleases_, she thought as she rummaged through the various supplies to find the last crate of beer._Including bringing over his crowd of rough, disgusting youkai thugs almost every other night for beer and cards. And now that he's pledged service to Gyumaoh's consort Gyokumen…_ Hana shook her head. "I'm worthless to him. I'm not even his daughter, so why does he even keep me around?"_

_"Hana! Where's that beer?"_

_"I'll bring it up in just a minute," the girl called back, pushing a few strands of hair away from her face so that she could see before hoisting up the crate and walking back up the stairs._

_"She'd better hurry." A brief flick of flame as a cigarette was lit, and then the lighter was pushed across the table to its next user. "We've got a big night ahead of us tonight, don't we, Rozen?"_

_"That we do," Hana's stepfather agreed, taking a drag on his own cigarette and exhaling a big cloud of smoke afterwards. "I'll give you all the details once we're all settled in – Hana! Any time now, you hear?" A disdainful eye roll. "I swear, you send her down to the cellar to grab a few things and she makes a day trip out of it. Sometimes I wonder why I even keep that half-blood brat around. I mean, hell, she's not even mine."_

_"Well, I know why I'd keep a little piece like that in the house," answered another with a loud, coarse laugh. "If you don't need her, I'll take her."_

_"We'll see about that." Rozen turned a foul glare towards the kitchen door, just in time to see Hana come through with a serving tray filled with bottles. "There she is. For a moment there, I was afraid something had eaten you down there."_

_"With all due respect, it's hard to find anything in that mess you call a cellar," Hana muttered, setting the contents of the tray down on the table along with a bottle opener that she fished from a pocket of her tunic and dodging a surreptitiously reaching hand with easy grace. "Is there anything else, or should I return to my post, sir?"_

_"Nothing for now. Go back to the kitchen." Rozen's dark eyes followed the girl as she strode into the kitchen, slamming the door shut behind her. "Should have killed her with the other two. Oh well, on to business then."_

So that's it – he just plans to give me away? I should have expected it. _After being sent back to her usual place, Hana had made herself comfortable on a stool near the door and set about mending a tear in one of Rozen's shirts while trying to catch the highlights of the conversation._

_"Mighty fine bracelet you have there, Roz. Did those teeth belong to someone we knew?"_

_"Yeah. You helped me get rid of her, remember?"_

_Mixed chuckles and laughter at this. "Yeah, that was some real fun. The kid, too."_

_Hana nearly dropped her needle when she heard this, and bit her lip to choke back tears._ That's just sick… how could he… _"I told myself, you know what? The only thing I really liked about her was her smile, so I decided to keep it with me so I could see it every day." _And that's even worse. _"But I've got a bigger and better job for all of you, one that could pay off well if we do this right." Eager mutters __to this, and silence fell. "Our Lady Gyokumen is seeking to revive the great Gyumaoh, and to help her with this, she needs us to gather up two of the sacred Sutras – the Maten and the Seiten. They're being held at that temple not too far away, by a fellow named Koumyou Sanzo." Silence met this statement, and the comments that followed this time were uneasy. "What's the matter? It's a quick grab and run, and we're home free."_

_"Sanzo – that's a priest, isn't it? One of the biggies."_

_Rozen laughed. "Yep, just about."_

_"Won't that be kinda hard?"_

_A disdainful snort this time. "Please. He's a monk, and so's everyone else there. If you all are afraid of fighting a bunch of monks, then just go home right now, and I'll take this one on myself." The replies that followed this time were hasty and jumbled, but all in the general vein that such a course of action was quite unneeded, and Rozen paused for a moment to let this tide of reassurance ebb. "That's good to hear. We'll be leaving in few, so get ready for a good time!" This was met with cheers and clinking of bottles, and for a moment Hana sat in stunned silence, thinking over what she'd just heard. _They're going to raid a temple and steal scriptures? That's unthinkable! But then again, this man has already done something beyond unthinkable._ At that point, a loud knock sounded on the door next to her, making her jump. "Hana, you in there?"_

_"Yes, sir. Do you need something?"_

_"Bring out the rest of that beer."_

_"Just a moment." Putting her mending down and pushing it and the stool away from the door, Hana loaded up the serving tray again and opened up the door to the main room._

_She was well aware of the group of men watching her as she passed the beer around and collected the empties and the full ashtray from the table. "How old did you say she is, Roz?"_

_"Thirteen," was the matter-of-fact answer. "That young enough for you?"_

_"Yeah, I like 'em young. Kinda hot, too, if you forget that she's a half-breed."_

_Head held high to hide her embarrassment, Hana fled back to the kitchen to dispose of the empties and the ash. "Got quite the pair of legs on her too, Roz. Maybe you should tie 'er down to make sure she doesn't bolt while we're out tonight…"_

_"No, I don't think that will be necessary," Rozen replied, turning so that Hana could see the dangerous glint in his eyes. "After all, she saw what we did to her brother when he tried to run." At that prompt, the all-too-recent memories flashed through Hana's mind, causing her to tremble with mixed fear and nausea. "See, she remembers. No need to worry."_

At that point Hana's eyes snapped open, showing her the plain reality of her bedroom at night and the fact that she had been dreaming. She sat up, looking around to make sure she really was safe, and then wiped a few strands of hair away that had been stuck to her face with feverish sweat. A gentle tapping was then heard on the door, along with a quietly concerned voice: "Hana, are you all right?"

"Yes, I'm fine."

"That's good. I heard you scream and thought someone had come after you." The door eased open to show a young man in his mid-twenties, dressed in the loose shirt and pants that he favored for sleepwear, and even in the near-complete darkness Hana could see the scarring that marred his face, the legacy of a youkai attack the year previous that had taken both his family and most of his eyesight. "So it was just a bad dream?"

"Just a bad dream, that's all. Thanks for checking up on me, Toma."

A quiet smile. "Not a problem. I know you would do the same for me…"


	2. On the Road Again

**One – On the Road Again**

"Hey, Hakkai…"

"Yes, Goku?"

"Are we there yet?"

A patient smile. "No, Goku."

Another few minutes passed, the green jeep bearing a party of four continuing on its rattling path through the mountains and the only sounds being the rumble of the engine and the crunch of tires on the gravelly road. That silence was short lasting, however, as the youth called Son Goku spoke again. "…What about now, Hakkai?"

"No, Goku." The smile was strained this time, one of the only signs of tension on the normally pleasant face of Cho Hakkai, the driver of the vehicle.

"And you think we'll get there any faster if you keep asking?" Goku's fellow backseat passenger opened an eye to look stonily down at the boy, an eye that matched the man's long hair in its rich red tint. "We'll get there when we get there, so keep your pants on." The eye closed again, its owner trying to resume the light nap that had been interrupted by Goku's inquiries.

"You're a good one to talk about keeping your pants on," Goku muttered, sullenly slouching down in his seat and glaring at the sparse scenery as it passed by. "Perverted kappa."

This remark, instead of causing an argument as was intended, merely caused its recipient to smile. "At least I'm old enough to appreciate the fairness that is woman. All you care about is food."

"I have to! It's not my fault that I'm hungry all the time." As if echoing the sentiment, a distinct stomach rumble could be heard over the noise of the jeep. "There'd better be lots of food when we get there. How close are we again, Hakkai?"

Any reply that Hakkai would have made was forestalled by the rustle of a newspaper page being forcefully turned in the hands of the fourth passenger, a cold blond wearing the robes of a traveling Buddhist priest, whose eyes narrowed in none-too-subtle aggravation. "We're three minutes away from where we were the last time you asked, you stupid monkey, and we might get there sooner if you'll just shut up and quit asking!"

"But Sanzo…"

"You heard me." The priest reached among the folds of his robe for something while he scanned an article in the newspaper, and frowned when the object of his search was nowhere to be found. "Gojyo, give me a cigarette. I'm out."

"Sorry, ol' buddy, but I gave you the last one." The red-haired man sighed. "And that was three days ago."

"Damn." Silence reigned for at least another five uneasy minutes, then: "You sure that was your last?"

"Yep."

"Bastard…"

-------

It was rapidly approaching mid-day when the jeep finally approached a small cluster of homes and shops. "Good, it looks like they have an inn," Hakkai told the rest. "I'll go in and see if we can get a room or two. All that driving has me tired out."

"I'm going with you, and I'm just tired from listening to the idiot track in the backseat," Sanzo growled, ignoring the looks given him by the two passengers in question.

"You too, huh?" Hakkai laughed lightly. "And I thought I was the only one…" Another stomach grumble interrupted the conversation, and the driver added, "Gojyo, it looks like you'd better feed Goku before his stomach starts eating him alive."

"_It would do us all a favor"_ was the low comment from the priest, while Gojyo made a disbelieving noise. "Why is it always my turn to feed the monkey?"

"Because you deal so well with children." The patient smile was stretched paper thin, and it was only the fatigue plainly visible behind it that made Gojyo move to get out of the jeep. "Thank you."

"No problem." He took the money handed to him by Hakkai and made sure that Goku was within sight before walking away towards the cluster of shops and market stalls in the center of the town.

-------

"This is quite the list." The girl took the paper offered by the innkeeper and studied it briefly. "Are you having a party or something?"

"You bet. I have some family coming by to visit – it's taken me forever to convince them that this area is safe after the youkai attack late last year. You know the one I'm talking about, don't you?"

"Unfortunately, yes." A sigh, causing the veil concealing the upper half of her face to flutter lightly. "I can only pray that those demons have met their end."

"As do I, Hana." Moving on to more palatable subjects, the innkeeper clapped his hands together briskly. "Are you sure you'll be able to do all of this as well as the usual cleaning?"

"You can count on me." Hana went over the list again with a delicate finger, mentally calculating the amount of supplies she would need to prepare all of the foods desired. "Now, about the payment - "

A discreet cough interrupted the conversation, causing both the innkeeper and the veiled girl to look up curiously at the man standing on the other side of the counter. Thanking gods for the draping fabric that hid her eyes, Hana pretended to continue tallying items on the list while studying the new customer. "I'm sorry, did I interrupt something important?"

Grinning his most affable grin, the innkeeper shrugged dismissively. "Not at all. Can I help you, sir?"

"You might." A small silver dragon perched on the stranger's shoulder let out a weary-sounding cheep, and he reached a hand up to pet the beast and soothe it. "I came here along with three others, and we've been traveling for some time without a proper place to rest. Do you have room for us to stay for a few days?"

Pulling out a ledger from a shelf beneath the counter, the innkeeper flipped through the pages and did some figuring of his own. "Well, we've got a big group coming in here tomorrow night and they'll take up all of the rooms but two. Is that okay? The rooms are small, but they're clean. Hana here makes sure of it." He patted the girl on the shoulder, startling her out of her concentration and forcing her to laugh uneasily to cover her surprise.

"I don't see a problem with it, but I need to talk it over with one of the others. I'll be back shortly." Hana continued to observe the man as he left the inn's main room to go outside, and noted with interest the three golden cuffs attached to his left ear.

"Seems nice enough," the innkeeper began, but lowered his voice at a gesture from the girl. "What – do you think something's wrong?"

"Not wrong, but definitely not normal," Hana murmured. "I'm trying to hear what he's saying outside." The conversation was muted beyond discernible words, but not quiet enough to miss one word: _Sanzo._ "He said there were four in his group?"

"Yes, four." Hana could see the thoughts connecting in the innkeeper's mind from the emotions displayed on his face, and the way the man's usual ruddy complexion paled a few shades when he reached his conclusion. "You're thinking what I'm thinking, then? That's _the_ Sanzo, the one that's causing all the ruckus wherever he goes." Hana made a noncommittal noise, not wanting any words to betray her own thoughts. "He can't stay here. Not after all that time I spent talking my family into coming for a visit! They're pretty rich, too, and they said they might help me out with some of my expenses if everything went well!" Then the front door opened again, and the innkeeper forced the same grin as earlier onto his face. "Well, my good man, what did he have to say?"

The visitor smiled, a smile that did not quite reach his eyes – which were, Hana saw, the same color as the deep green tunic he wore. "If there's no problem, we'll take the two rooms."

"I see." The grin dropped into a tooth-clenching wince, the older man muttering, "I'm sorry, but there is a problem. I'm going to have family staying here, and I won't let them stay under the same roof as the Sanzo Party. That is who you are, I assume, based on what I heard you saying outside…?" The visitor nodded reluctantly, and the innkeeper stammered on, turning redder and redder with embarrassment as he continued. "I mean, no offense to you, and I would let you stay here as long as you wanted if it were at any other time – but you're a giant youkai magnet, and with the trouble we've had in the past with the youkai… that's just not good. Not good at all." Hana saw his hands clench and unclench with the effort to restrain his emotion, and she was sure the stranger saw as well. "I just don't want to put my family in danger, that's all. I hope you understand."

The raw soup of emotion filled the air with tension – worry and shame from the innkeeper, fatigue and a sudden hollow sadness from the visitor – and the girl, feeling it like a stab in the chest, had to turn away for a moment. She then noticed the sudden silence and the sensation of both men watching her curiously, and Hana rummaged in her mind for a suitable excuse. "I'm – sorry, gentlemen. I just remembered some things I have to get done this afternoon before all the shops close. Please excuse me."

"Oh. Of course, please go. I'm sorry to have kept you," the innkeeper quickly said, raising a puzzled eyebrow in unspoken inquiry. "We'll discuss your wages later."

"Thank you." Hana bobbed a curtsey to the older man, and gave a courteous nod to the stranger. "Have a pleasant afternoon."

"To you as well, Miss Hana," the visitor replied, turning his head to watch her as she walked briskly out of the inn.


	3. Unwelcome Advances

**Two – Unwelcome Advances**

"You'd think there'd be more women out on a nice day like this," Gojyo muttered, looking around the marketplace from his seat on a bench outside one of the stores. "Or at least some younger ones." Goku arrived at the bench a moment later, carrying sacks of food and other goods. "Did you find everything?"

"Yeah. Can we get something to eat now? I thought I saw someone selling meat buns back there…"

"And you can't eat anything in those bags you brought over here?" This asked in flat disbelief, countering the look of pleading in the boy's eyes. "Oh, all right. But only to make you stop your whining."

"All right!" Goku cheered, dashing off across the market towards a vendor and leaving Gojyo with the pile of purchases. _Damn kid,_ the half-breed thought as he hoisted the sacks and bags and did his best to follow.

-------

"And you're just in luck, Hana. These are the last ones we have."

Hana smiled as she counted out the necessary coin from a small purse and handed it to the old woman. "Thank you for keeping them aside for me, ma'am. Toma will be happy to have these with dinner, that's for sure."

"I know, I used to make these special for him when he was little." Frowning as she wrapped up the buns for their buyer to take, the older woman added, "It's a tragedy what happened to his family – and to him – and it's even more of a miracle that you came along. We thought for a while that we were going to lose him completely."

"I wouldn't call it a miracle, ma'am," Hana murmured, a blush showing just below the lower edges of her veil. "I just happened to need a place to stay and work, and he took me in. No miracle to that."

"Well, he's smiling again, and that's a miracle from the Merciful Goddess herself. Here you go, and tell Toma I said hello." The package of meat buns was handed over with a smile, which Hana returned as she took her purchase.

The smell of the food reminded her that she hadn't had anything to eat since a small breakfast of fruit and bread early that morning, and with this on her mind Hana shouldered her market bag and went to find a place to sit. She had not even bitten into one of the meat buns when a loud commotion broke out at the booth that she had just come from, and she glanced up in suspicion. A teenaged boy stood in front of the booth, and even from where she sat she could hear his complaints as he loudly voiced them. "Aw man, what do you mean you're sold out? It's not even time for dinner yet, and I'm hungry!" The old woman operating the booth said something and pointed over to where Hana sat, and the girl let out an exasperated moan. _So much for having a bite to eat in peace. First Masui's dust-up with that man from the Sanzo Party, and then this…_ "You sold the last ones to _her_?"

"God, what all did Hakkai have us buy for him? I swear, if there's a kitchen sink in here, someone's gonna get hurt." Gojyo peered over the tops of the sacks he carried in his arms to see where Goku had gone, and his eyes narrowed in irritation when he heard the youth raise his voice in protest against the meat bun vendor. "Or I might just take it out on that little bonehead first. And where does he think he's going now?"

"Hey, lady, what do you think you're doing?" Hana tried not to roll her eyes in disgust as the teenager came storming over, stopping only inches away from her and glaring at her angrily. "That's _my_ meat bun - "

"Says who?" replied the girl tonelessly. "You? Well, who died and made you king?" The sputtering sounds of helpless fury fell on unsympathetic ears, and Hana could not hide a cool smile. "Listen, jerk, maybe if you were a little nicer I would let you have this one here. But, since you insisted on making a scene…" She raised the bun again to her mouth and would have taken a bite had the boy's attitude suddenly changed.

"I'm sorry. It's just that I've been stuck on the road for four days with the same three guys… and I haven't seen a hot meat bun in a long time…" A hopeful look came over his face as he came up with an idea. "Hey, can I buy that one off you? I'm really hungry…"

Something about the boy's face – it reminded Hana of a puppy trying to please its master – made her realize just how foolish the whole thing was, and she relinquished the meat bun with a rueful shaking of her head. "Don't worry about it. I know what it's like to be hungry."

"Thanks! You're the greatest," the boy said, eagerly snatching the meat bun and devouring it in two or three easy bites. "My name's Goku. What's yours?"

"Hana. Nice to meet you, Goku." On a whim, she untied the fabric covering the rest of the buns and fished out a second meat bun. "Here's another one, but it's the last one I can give you. The rest are going home with me."

The second bun was taken and consumed as easily as the first. "Thanks again. I don't feel so bad anymore." A brief pause for thought, then, "You live around here?"

"Yes, I do. I live with a friend of mine on the far end of town, and these meat buns are for him, actually." Hana re-tied the fabric wrapping and smiled again at the boy, this time a bit more warmly. "Well, Goku, I hope the rest of your trip goes better – wherever you're going."

Before Goku could form a reply, however, a new voice broke in, ragged with barely concealed resentment. "There you are, you stupid monkey. Do me a favor and find Sanzo and Hakkai – I want to find out where we're staying tonight. And take some of these damn groceries with you." Hana could barely see the form of a tall, lanky man obscured by a large pile of supplies, which he shoved off on a grumbling Goku and sent him off with a small push on the shoulder. She felt a chill run through her body when she saw that his hair and eyes were the red of blood, the blood that now drained from her face when she realized the implication of that coloring. "Man, what a day," the man was now saying, flopping down on the bench next to her and lighting a cigarette from a newly acquired pack. "Sorry if he was bothering you. He does that to people sometimes."

"No, it was no problem at all. I simply made him be nice and apologize before I gave him any of the meat buns." The tone of the laugh that followed placed this one at around her early twenties, Gojyo mused with a small pleased smile. _I might just get lucky after all._ "The same thing worked with my little brother. His name was Kuren, and Goku reminds me a lot of him." An uncomfortable pause, then, "I say 'was' because Ren… died when I was eleven."

"Sorry to hear that." _Well, ain't that a conversation killer._ In the silence that followed, Gojyo made a brief assessment of the young woman next to him with an idle side glance. _Nice body, what I can see of it – she's not the type to show a lot of skin, but that'll do, I guess._ Indeed, the only skin not covered by the girl's well-fitting albeit utilitarian clothing was that of her hands, and above that only the smallest sliver of a slender neck was visible above the high collar of her tunic. To his disappointment, though, the upper half of her face was obscured by a veil that was, in turn, firmly affixed to a type of cowl that covered the rest of her head._And a pretty face too, or at least everything below the nose is. If I could just get a smile… _"I was kinda wondering what you'd done to shut Goku up, though. That takes true talent."

"Food is a powerful motivator, especially for boys his age. That is, until hormones kick in, and then all hope for improvement can be thrown out for about fifteen years." The desired smile came after this, showing slightly crooked teeth. _Good for a starter. Now if I could just get her to show me the rest._ "So, are you his older brother or something?"

"No, thank god. I don't know what rock that kid was spawned under, but I can tell you it was nowhere close to mine. So, do you come from around here?"

"I moved here last year," Hana replied, growing uneasy in spite of the seemingly simple, casual conversation. _I didn't know the Sanzo had a half-blood with him. What's this guy doing wandering around in public with no one saying a thing about his hair or what it means? Have people really become that tolerant?_ She found herself discreetly looking the stranger over out of the corner of one eye and, seeing the muscular toned arms exposed by his sleeveless shirt and vest, mentally corrected herself. _It's not that. He'd just beat the shit out of anyone who made a big deal out of it, but there's no mistaking what he is. And not bad, if I do say so myself._ She forcibly put that thought away, adding, _That's just what he wants me to think. It oozes off of him like cheap cologne._ When Hana realized that the man was performing the same surreptitious observation of her, she snapped her own eyes away with a furious glare. _He thinks he's going to get anything out of me? Well, big shot, dream on._

"So what's with the whole cover-up deal?" he was saying. "I'd think a girl like you would look good with a suntan."

"Speak for yourself," Hana replied crisply. "After all, you did say you were spawned under a rock."

_Spawned under a rock, huh? Ouch. I did set myself up for that one, though._ A drag on the cigarette as Gojyo considered his next angle. _Comments on appearance, failed. Plan B – try normal conversation and see where that goes._ "What do you do for a living? You don't look like the kind that sits around and waits for the action to come to you."

"A better question would be, what don't I do?" The smile dared a return, but it was guarded this time. "I could be called a jack of all trades, and I hire myself out to do what other people can't or won't – within certain guidelines."

"So if I needed some help taming that monkey who bothered you earlier, I could just call you up and you'd take care of it?" A nod of agreement. "Cool. Maybe you could give Sanzo some advice." The girl's smile widened a little at this, Gojyo thinking, _Getting warmer. Maybe I can try again, but I'll have to be careful._ "You know of any places that're good for dinner?"

"What, places that can serve enough food for three grown men and a teenager with the appetite of a bottomless pit?" The smile had disappeared completely, allowing an edge of suspicion to enter the girl's voice.

_Play it casual, play it casual. _"No, I was thinking more along the lines of dinner for two."

"Uh-huh." _I knew it! Under any other circumstances, this would be fun, but curse me and my principles._ "Funny, I didn't place you as that kind of guy."

This brought a visible wince, and Hana knew that she had scored a hit. "That hurts, miss – what did you say your name was?"

"My name is Hana, and your answer is no."

Hana felt the inner glow of satisfaction as the stranger assumed an air of mock injury. "I haven't even asked you out yet, and you're already saying no? What's the deal?"

"You've said enough." Sighing, the girl gathered up her belongings, rose from the bench, and began to walk away. "Now please, be kind and leave me alone." Certain that she had scored a victory – or a cease-fire, at least – Hana walked on in silence, eyes only for the path leading to her home on the outskirts of the village. A few other citizens passed her, and she greeted them absently while she gathered her thoughts to tell to the other resident of the house she lived in.

No matter how deep her thoughts were, though, they did not numb the sense that someone was following her. _If that is who I think it is, I might just have to hurt him. Anyone who hears a clearly stated dismissal and then follows me deserves injury._ She gauged the steps getting closer, and when they were finally within arms' reach, Hana halted suddenly and turned around. "Anything that touches me gets broken or cut off," she stated flatly, waiting for the inevitable grab that usually came at this point in pursuit. "I just thought that I would inform… you…" Either he had just noticed her now, or was deliberately violating her personal space, but either way Hana realized that she was only chest-height to the tall half-blood. _Close enough to touch… and he smells good too…_ She shook her head once from side to side, hoping to dislodge that thinking before it took root. _He's probably as well-traveled as a bicycle tire, and ridden as much – damn! Stop that, Hana, that's dirty…_

"Are you okay?" This asked in obviously false concern, providing a bucket of cold water for Hana's wandering thoughts.

"Yes, I'm fine." At once cursing the necessity of the veil and wishing that this one could see the sheer venom in her eyes, Hana glared up at the man and added, "One could almost ask the same of you, sir. I did ask you to leave me alone, so why are you still following me?"

"I can never resist a good challenge." The smugness that came across in these words only further sparked Hana's ire. _I guess he does not understand the nuances of polite speech, _Hana grumbled silently,_so I will have to lower myself to his level for once._

"In that case, I have three magic words for you," said Hana, crossing her arms over her chest, not realizing that this action emphasized the very assets she was trying to hide. "Come close, my dear man, because I will only say this once… very good… now listen closely and remember this: _Go to hell._"

"Only if I can meet you there."

Clenching her teeth to hold back a few choice words, Hana quietly turned back around and continued her walk, relieved to note that this time she was alone.


	4. Roughing It

**Three – Roughing It**

"We're camping out _again?_" Goku stared in disbelief at Hakkai. "I thought you would get us a place to stay at the inn."

"Well, apparently our reputation precedes us," Hakkai replied. "Even though they had two rooms, the innkeeper told us basically that we weren't welcome."

"That just sucks," the boy grumbled. "I was looking forward to a real bed tonight, and some real food!"

"Tell me about it," Gojyo added. "I can't even get a date in this place. Out of all the women here, only one looks like she might be good, and she told me to go to hell."

"Finally, a person with some sense," was Sanzo's muttered contribution. "This place will do."

-------

Daylight edged into dusk and finally into night as Hana worked in her kitchen, filling the requests on the innkeeper's list. She was nearly asleep on her feet as she set the last of the pastries out to cool, but the sight of something out of the ordinary through the window brought her back to full alertness. "What the hell…" Sticking her head briefly through the kitchen door into the living room, she spoke to Toma, who was at that moment reading a book in his favorite chair with the aid of some very powerful glasses. "Toma, I think there's someone out in the back yard by the river, and I'm going to check it out. Be back in a few, okay?" A murmured acknowledgement to this, and after dusting her hands off on a dish towel and making sure her knife was ready, Hana crept out the back door to investigate.

_Pretty night out,_ thought the half-blood as he looked at the stars reflected in the gently rippling water in front of him. _Granted, it would be even nicer if I had someone with me –_ He became aware of the presence behind him just as he felt the press of cold, sharp metal against his throat under a steady pressure. "Just what the hell do you think you're doing in my back yard?" hissed a female voice that Gojyo recognized as that of the girl from the marketplace. "If you mean harm to myself or Toma, I will slit you from ear to ear. Don't think I won't."

_She's good. Usually I'd notice if someone was ready to pull a knife on me…_ Holding his empty hands up in the air to show the girl that he was unarmed, Gojyo slowly answered, "Take it easy, sweetheart. I'm just having a smoke, that's all."

"So where are the rest of your group? They have to be somewhere close."

"Across the water, over by those trees. You can see them from here." _And they should be able to see me, too – why aren't they doing anything?_

"You really are the Sanzo Party." The knife was removed. "Masui wouldn't let you stay in the inn because of his family, right?"

"Yeah." Gojyo felt a sting on the skin of his neck and reached a hand up to where the blade had grazed his throat, wincing when his fingers came away with a light touch of blood. "He doesn't understand that when the bad guys come after us, we kick their ass."

"I was there when he told your friend that you couldn't stay." A light _shink_ as the knife was slid back into its sheath in Hana's left boot. "That was stupid and impolite of him, but I wouldn't force the issue if I were you."

"So how'd you know we were out here?"

"I saw your group's campsite through the kitchen window and I thought it might be trouble." Hana sighed. "It's just that Toma, the guy I live with, lost a lot that was important to him during a youkai attack around this time last year. One can never be too careful."

A crooked grin. "And here I was thinking you just wanted to come and see me after all. The only thing I might ask is that you don't bring the knife to bed with you…" This brought a small, hard fist against his arm in an offended half-punch. "Just kidding, jeez. If we're causing that much of a problem I can always tell them we need to move, but I don't think Sanzo would like that too much."

"No, don't worry about it. Now that I know who you are, you can stay as long as you want." Hana paused as an idea came to her. "Tell you what, I'll ask Toma if you can stay in the house while you're in town. I don't think he'll mind some extra company."

Then, as quietly as she had appeared, the girl was gone again, leaving Gojyo in the darkness by the river with his thoughts, his cigarette, and his still-stinging throat. _How did she learn to move like that, and more to the point, why? Another question – why is she carrying that knife? A few seconds more and I would've been very dead._

"Hey Gojyo, are you all right?" came the worried inquiry from Hakkai, who had been tending to a mysterious concoction in a stockpot over the fire and had only caught the last minute of the conversation.

"Fine, thanks." The half-blood ground his cigarette out between his fingers and absentmindedly flicked it away into the cover of some nearby bushes where, if he had been looking, the butt landed in a seeming graveyard of its kind. He then made his way back across the river to the campsite, crossing the water at its shallowest point. "Guys, why didn't you tell me there was a girl with a knife behind me getting ready to carve me a new one?"

"There was?" Hakkai asked, cooking forgotten for a moment as a memory from earlier that day resurfaced.

"Cool," Goku added. "I wanna learn how she snuck up on you like that."

"I would have told her to finish the job." Sanzo turned a page in that day's newspaper, acquired in the trip to the marketplace.

"Her name wouldn't have happened to be Hana, now would it? Fairly short, her face covered?"

A nod in reply to Hakkai's questions. "The same one. Apparently we're in her back yard, and she doesn't like strange visitors."

"We aren't moving," Sanzo interjected. "And if she doesn't like it, she can - "

"I can what, priest Sanzo?" In the clear light of the campfire, the quartet saw the veiled girl standing within earshot on the opposite bank of the river, an amused smile lighting the visible half of her face. "I understand that your type prefers the ascetic lifestyle, so if you would prefer to spend the night outside, by all means do. For anyone that feels so inclined, though, the master of my house has given you an invitation to stay with him for as long as you need. Any takers?"

"I know I will," Goku said, bouncing up eagerly from his seat in the dirt. "Can you cook for us?"

"I think I can pull something together. Okay, that's one – anyone else? It's a big house, and that means you won't have to share rooms, like I bet you've done in the past."

"Sounds like a plan to me," agreed Hakkai, who had already begun the process of dousing the campfire.

"And I'll get to sleep in a real bed, which'll be nice even if I am alone," Gojyo replied, getting a disgusted sigh from the girl.

"That will be the best part of it," returned Sanzo, giving the girl an even, assessing look. _Her voice – I know it from somewhere. At least, I think I do._

"All right, I guess that's all of you, then." Hana clapped her hands together briskly. "I'll go and get the rooms ready while you gather your stuff up. The back door will be unlocked, so you can come in through there." She then turned and walked back the way she had come, aware that the group was watching her and at the same time not really caring. _Those purple eyes… I've only seen them once before, in the face of a boy named Kouryuu at Kinzen'an. But I don't know if he survived the attack…_ She shook her head, thinking, _No, he couldn't have. I know what kind of work those murderers do. Killing a little boy would be like a game to them._

Leaving the door unlocked as promised, Hana headed towards the linen closet to get fresh sheets for the rooms on the upper floor of the house. Toma, hearing her steps, looked up from his book and asked her, "So, are they going to stay here?"

"Yes, they are," was the preoccupied reply. "Now aren't you glad I insisted on keeping your empty rooms and spare linens aired out?"

A rueful smile from the young man. "Yes, Hana, I am." Yawn and stretch. "Tell me who they are again?"

"A Sanzo priest and his followers. They shouldn't give you trouble." Hana closed the closet door and began walking up the staircase. "If they do, I'll give it right back to them."

"What did I ever do to earn such a fierce protector?" Toma murmured sleepily. "Well, please give the Sanzo and his group my apologies for not staying up to greet them. For some reason, I'm all tired out."

"I'll do that. Sleep well, Toma," came the reply from the room at the top of the stairs.

"You too, Hana."

After that, the girl heard her housemate's quiet footsteps leading off into his bedroom, followed by the low thump of the door closing. Going from room to room, she made up each of the beds in the quick yet tidy fashion being the housekeeper of the inn had taught her, and was getting blankets from the closet when the four visitors trickled in through the back door. "Your rooms are almost ready," she informed them. "Go ahead and pick out where you're going to sleep. I'm headed up there now with some blankets in case you get cold."

Shifting the load so that her hand was free, Hana pointed the way to the bath and restroom, then added, "Just about the only house rule is that if you smoke, don't do it inside. Toma has a fit if I do, so I keep an ash can next to the back step for the times when I feel the need to burn one." Seeing the blank looks given her at this admission, Hana could not hold back a giggle. "Other than that, make yourselves at home. Your host sends his regrets for not staying up to welcome you, but he had to turn in for the night." Leaving four dumbfounded males behind her, the girl trotted up the stairs until a further thought stopped her. "Oh, one more thing - if you touch any of the stuff in the kitchen, I'll cut your fingers off."

"And don't think she won't," Gojyo muttered to the other three, running a rueful hand over the healing cut on his throat.


	5. Blood Flower

**Four – Blood Flower**

After watching the last of the four trail into their rooms, presumably to sleep for the night, Hana went about her habitual task of locking up the house and pulling all of the curtains shut before taking her nightly bath. "And so ends another day," she murmured as she closed the last drape and dimmed the lights in the living room, then headed towards the bath room. As an idle afterthought, she grabbed up the book off of the end table where Toma had left it and took it in with her. "Might as well get some reading in while I have the chance. Heavens know I'm going to be busy as hell for the next few days, and heavens forbid that Toma get ahead of me again…"

Closing the door behind her, Hana exchanged her day clothes for a towel to wrap herself in, breathing a sigh of relief as she at last unclipped the veil and cowl that kept her face and hair hidden from the world. After verifying that the door was indeed shut tight – "Don't want any unwelcome guests," she muttered, thinking of the encounters of the day and shivering a little – she padded into the bathing area and turned on the water for the initial scrubdown before the long soak that she looked forward to every night after a long day.

-------

_Just need to use the can, and then I can go to bed. Maybe I'll have better luck tomorrow,_ thought Gojyo with a yawn as he treaded down the stairs. _Even I can admit that tonight wasn't the best night to try and pick up a girl, especially that one._ When he at last reached the door to the restroom, he noticed absently that a thin sliver of light shone out from under the door, and he stood for a moment to listen for sounds of activity. _Nothing. Maybe someone just forgot and left the light on._ Not giving the matter any further thought, the half-blood pulled the door open and walked inside.

_Never underestimate the benefits of a good scrub,_ Hana mused as she ran the water through her knee-length hair one last time. _Makes all of the day's tensions just melt away…_ Pushing the mass to one side, she trickled some water over her back to make sure that all of the soap was gone, then tensed when she heard the door slide open. _What the – I could have sworn I locked it – but then again, I'm not usually in the habit of locking the door, since Toma knows better than to come in here this late._ She dared a quick glance over her shoulder, and upon seeing who it was, quickly grabbed her towel to scavenge what she could of her modesty, then took to hand the first throwable object and let it fly.

"Dammitall, don't they teach you somewhere to _knock_ first?" came the peevish hiss of an all-too-familiar voice, and Gojyo glanced up just barely in time to see the nearly-naked Hana throw a bar of soap in his direction from where she perched in the bath area. "Get out!"

"No, they didn't teach me to knock first," he snapped back, dodging the sudsy projectile and slamming the door shut on his way out. "And didn't they teach you somewhere to close the door to the bath when you're using it?" The firm click of the latch was his only answer. Gojyo resigned himself to the prospect of a long wait outside, thinking over the brief look he had gotten at the bath's occupant. _Not bad at all. In fact, better than I saw earlier today…_ His mind wandered over the pale curves he had seen, imagining their softness under his touch, when another fact occurred to him and jolted him away from his pleasant ruminations: _Her hair was as red as mine. No wonder she covers it up._

The door was thrown open minutes later, revealing a furious Hana in shorts and a t-shirt with her hair up in a towel. "It's all yours." Ignoring the curious glance given her by Gojyo, she went into the kitchen and rummaged through a drawer for the cigarettes and lighter she kept hidden from her housemate, then opened up the door and ran out across the grass for her refuge by the river.

"For gods' sake, how could I have been so stupid?" Hana muttered, inhaling sharply on her freshly lit cigarette. "I spend my whole time since he first showed up making this big deal about how he should stay away, and then I leave the damn door open so that he can just walk in while I'm bathing… that was just dumb." Another deep inhalation, savoring the smoke, then exhaling it in a light cloud against the gradually cooling night air. "And I'll bet you the creepy little shit was thinking about it too after I shut the door on him. Gods, what a pervert."

"For your information, 'pervert' is my other name, and 'creepy little shit' is a lesser used one. My real name is Gojyo." A faint rustle as the half-blood sat down on the grass next to her, keeping a respectful distance away. "You were right, I should have knocked first. And do you realize that's the first time a woman's ever thrown a bar of soap at me?"

"It probably won't be the last time, either," Hana mumbled around the cigarette in her mouth. "But you're right, I should get in the habit of locking the door."

Silence followed, and Gojyo brought out a smoke of his own from a pocket. "Must've left my lighter inside. Got one I could use?" He took the metal-cased lighter from Hana as she offered it and looked it over before flipping the top open. "Nice. Where'd you get it?"

"Stole it from my stepdad before I left. I figured the murdering sumbitch didn't need it anymore."

"Ah." After using the lighter, Gojyo clicked the top shut again and handed it back to the girl. "You know you shouldn't smoke – it's bad for your health."

"Living is bad for your health, Gojyo," Hana replied, setting the lighter down on top of the pack of cigarettes next to her leg. "Besides, you seem to be doing just fine."

"I am like a cockroach, my good woman." The half-breed smirked at the girl through a cloud of smoke. "No matter how many times I'm stepped on, you just can't kill me."

"That explains the antennae then." A mirroring smirk at the distinctive tails of hair that hung over Gojyo's face like the feelers of said bug.

Further silence, then, "You know what, Hana, it's not like I sat there and stared at you. Besides, hasn't anyone seen you naked before?" The glare in response to this confirmed Gojyo's suspicions as he saw that the girl's eyes were as crimson as the few strands of hair that escaped the precariously knotted towel on top of her head. "No one outside of your family?"

"I got enough stares and attempted ass-grabs from my stepdad's disgusting bunch of friends without doing anything to encourage them." A hand-flick to get rid of the ash from the cigarette, which was getting closer and closer to the filter. "He was going to give me away to one of them on the night I ran away, because I'd outlived my usefulness as his house-slave."

"That's harsh. Seems like your stepdad was a real great guy."

A sarcastic eye roll as Hana finished off her smoke. "Great doesn't even begin to cover it. He killed my mother and made a bracelet out of her teeth, and then cut my brother apart when he tried to run away. The last night I saw him, he was getting ready to raid Kinzen'an on a mission for Gyokumen Koushuu." She ground the cigarette out in the dirt and then tossed the crumpled butt away into the bushes to join its fellows. "They were out to kill the Sanzo priest there and steal the Maten and Seiten Sutras from the temple."

Gojyo gave the girl a surprised sideglance as she nonchalantly pulled another cigarette from her pack and lit it. "The Maten and Seiten Sutras, you say?"

"Yeah. Rozen – that's my stepdad – said the priest's name was Koumyou Sanzo, and that if they killed him and took the scriptures, there would be a huge payoff from that demonic slut Gyokumen." Inhale, exhale. "I remember there being a boy at Kinzen'an called Kouryuu who couldn't have been more than a few years older than me, and I've always wondered if he survived."

"And what would you do if he had?" was the quiet, thoughtful response after a moment's pause.

"I don't know… I'd find him and tell him how sorry I am, I guess. There were so many times that I could have done something to stop Rozen, and I didn't. Now there are so many people dead, including my mom, my brother, and that priest…" Hana's train of thought drifted off into the night. "I will tell you one thing, though – if Rozen ever comes after me again, I will kill him. Even if I have to live a thousand lives after this to pay for my sin, the punishment will be more than worth it if I can send him to hell where he belongs."

"Again? You mean he's been following you?"

A nod. "It's a long story. I'd really rather not talk about it right now."

"Fair enough." Remembering something else, Gojyo reached into a pants pocket and pulled out a necklace, a small round locket hanging on a golden chain. "You left this in the bath, by the way. And don't worry, I didn't look in it. I figure I've done enough damage for tonight."

Hana stared for a moment at the necklace, then blinked. "I must have forgotten it in my rush to get out of there. Thank you." She took the necklace from him and held it in her hand for a moment, running her fingers over the locket's engraved surface. There was a faint _click_ as she popped the locket open and held it out for her companion to take a closer look at. "There you go. That picture is one my real dad took, a few months before we found him dead on our doorstep." On the right side of the locket, Gojyo could see a tiny portrait of a dark-haired woman holding her two children close to her, and even in the feeble light, it was hard to miss the distinctive birthmark on her face. "Yep, my mother was the youkai in our little family. Not that it earned her any favors, though."

"Well, I can see where you got your looks." Feeling the flat look put his way by the girl, Gojyo muttered, "Seriously. That was just a compliment, and nothing else." He glanced at the other side of the locket and was set back by the sight of a carefully preserved red flower. _Like blood…_ He quickly shut the locket and handed it back to its owner, but not before catching the characters engraved into the front. "_Ketsueki no hana_?"

"That's right – Blood Flower. The name my mother gave me." Hana refastened the locket around her neck, hiding it under her shirt. "She didn't know how right she was."


	6. Lightning Rod

**Five – Lightning Rod**

_"Kuren! Kuren, get back here," Hana yelled as she ran, having only the fleeting laughter of a young boy as her guide to follow._

_"Catch me if you can,"_ _came the distant voice from far ahead. The girl sped up her pace, glancing right and left for any trace of the boy's flaming red hair through the green of the mountain woods._

_The path soon opened, as she knew it would, to the road that led to the temple of Kinzen'an, and there the boy ran yards ahead of her, laughing and taunting her as he sprinted up the road. "Dammit, Kuren, you know we'll both get in trouble if Mom hears you were bothering the monks again!"_

_"I know. Why do you think this is so fun!"_

_Growling a further curse under her breath, Hana poured her last bit of energy into closing the distance. Soon she was barely out of arm's reach of her brother, and it was like this that they pelted up the steps, Kuren giggling as he passed over the threshold into the temple courtyard. Before he could go any further, though, his sister's hand latched onto the collar of his shirt and pulled him back. "Got you now, you little twerp. Now go home before someone sees you!" She roughly spun him around and shoved him back down the steps, the little boy making a face at her before dashing into the woods again. _

_Hana then sighed, wiping sweat off of her forehead with a shirtsleeve and pausing to catch her breath before she began the journey back to the home she shared with her mother and brother. "He's gonna run me ragged, that's for sure," the girl muttered, then noticed that she was being watched by a pair of intense violet eyes. The owner of these eyes was a boy that Hana had seen only on a few occasions before, maybe only a year older than herself in age, and she'd heard him called 'Kouryuu' by the other monks of the temple. He had been sweeping the path up to the courtyard entrance, and Hana had not noticed him in her mad flight after her brother. Now Kouryuu had stopped in his work to watch the commotion, and he looked at the half-blood girl with a small amused smile on his face. Blushing at this, Hana muttered "Sorry" to the boy and then ran off into the woods to make sure that her brother was indeed heading home – _

The small alarm clock Hana kept under her pillow went off at that moment, bringing her to the waking world with its shrill ring that she quickly silenced before it woke up any of the other inhabitants of the house._Funny that I should dream about that boy again. Maybe it's the priest staying here that makes me think about it…_ She chose that day's clothing, a well-worn but still useable dress that had belonged to Toma's sister and was now hers, and slipped it on, then grabbed the brush from the dressing table and began working through the tangles that the night had put in her hair. After that task was complete, the flowing locks were plaited into a braid and then pinned up closely to her head so that they could be covered later.

Opening her door softly, Hana tiptoed out across the wooden floor of the living room towards the bath room, where she had left her cowl and veil the night before. She then noticed that a light was on in the kitchen, and she wondered who was up so early. Before she could make it to the cover of the bath, however, someone moved into the kitchen doorway and stood watching her. "Good morning, Hana."

Blinking against the light, Hana made out the form of the green-eyed man she had seen in the inn. "Good morning, sir. I didn't know anyone would be up so early, or I would have set some breakfast out."

"No, that's all right. I just couldn't sleep, that's all." An intrigued eyebrow lift as the man took in the tint of the girl's uncovered eyes and hair. "I figured as much that you were trying to hide your face from the world. You shouldn't – it's too pretty to cover."

"You're too kind," Hana replied, coloring slightly as she brushed by him on her way into the kitchen. "I don't see how you can say that now that you know what I am."

"What you are in this world doesn't matter. It's what you do with it that counts, and that's what I see." The man returned to his seat at the kitchen table, gesturing to the other chair. "I've already made some tea, if you want any."

"I suppose there is some time left to sit before I have to get to work." Hana uncovered some fruit and a fresh loaf of bread that she'd left on the counter the night before and brought them to the table along with a knife and cutting board. "I'm sorry that I can't offer you any butter to go along with it, but I used the last of it last night."

A dismissive hand wave. "That's not a problem. Besides, whatever you made last night smells wonderful." Tea was poured, bread was broken, fruit was sliced, and there was silence for a short time as the two ate. When at last the man spoke again, he said, "Once again, your talents speak for themselves."

"And once again, sir, you're too kind," Hana muttered into her tea. "I didn't happen to catch your name last night."

"Cho Hakkai." A small, amused smile. "And speaking of names, I heard you call Gojyo a few good ones last night."

"He just needs to have a brief refresher course in manners, that one," Hana averred, blush returning. "But we got things straightened out."

"I'm glad to hear that. It's never good to leave a misunderstanding unresolved."

"I almost hate to ask, but how much did you overhear?"

The amusement gave way slightly to brief thoughtful consideration. "Quite a bit, actually. I wasn't meaning to eavesdrop, it's just that voices tend to carry in the middle of the night."

Hana winced understandingly. "I'm sorry to have kept you awake like that."

"There are worse ways to be kept awake at night, that I can assure you." A sip of tea. "You mentioned, though, that your stepfather is following you. Aren't you afraid of what he'll do to you – or anyone with you – when he finds you again?"

The girl shook her head firmly. "Not at all. I've been covering my tracks pretty well, so it will take him a while to find me, if he's able to. Besides, he won't come here again." This comment received a puzzled look in response, and Hana explained, "Rozen might be a sadistic bastard, but he's not stupid. When making his plans, he'd always say, 'Lightning never strikes the same place twice, and neither will I,' meaning that once he's hit a target, he won't go after them again. He makes sure he doesn't have to."

A sudden flash of pain crossed her face, Hakkai recognizing it as the full expression of which he'd seen only part at the inn. "Like at Kinzen'an when he killed Koumyou Sanzo, and like when he came here last year on the mistaken assumption that I was hiding in this house. When he gets into a blood-rage, Rozen doesn't stop to consider the facts, and he didn't realize that the girl he killed was Toma's sister and not me. It was only when one of his group pointed out their mistake that he fled, leaving everyone here dead except for Toma, who he'd thrashed pretty badly." The pain was replaced by a light of quiet, fierce anger in the red eyes. "That's why I stayed here, to pay back with my work what that man lost because of me. Lightning never strikes the same place twice, Hakkai. My stepfather won't return." Taking her tea mug with her, Hana pushed away from the table and got up, placing the mug in the sink on her way out of the kitchen. "Thank you for the tea. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have things to do."

When she returned to the kitchen to retrieve the baskets of baked goods for their delivery to the inn, her identity had been concealed again by the hanging drapes of fabric. "I also meant to tell you, on a different note, that today is wash day. If you or any of the others need any clothing cleaned, I'll take care of it along with the laundry from the inn." Then, arms laden with the fruits of her previous night's labor, Hana vanished in cold silence from the house, not to be seen again until later in the morning.

"Lightning never strikes the same place twice, hm?" Toma repeated with a sigh. "She must have told you about the attack last year." He crossed the living room to open up the last of the curtains and let the fresh sunlight in. "Even though she would like to think so, there was nothing she could have done to stop it." The young man stopped and turned to face Hakkai, swinging a few strands of longish dark hair away from his face as he did so and revealing the tangled knots of skin that marred what had once been a strongly handsome countenance. "Accidents happen, and bad things happen to good people. I don't know why she insists on giving herself such a painful and unneeded burden of guilt."

"So…" Hakkai blinked at the sight of the scarring, imagining the trauma that must have caused it. "You know what she is, then?"

"Of course. I might not be able to see her true colors, but I remember what the beast said right before he tore my face apart. He told me that no one survives an encounter with a half-blood without pain, and that I should die knowing that the pain I suffered at his hands would only be a fraction of what she would taste once he found her again." Toma let his locks fall back into place, concealing his features from view.

"Did she tell you anything else about him, or who he works for?"

A thin, pleasureless smile. "Yes. And if the stories I hear about your travels are true, then I have no doubt that Rozen will indeed strike the same target twice. Hana mentioned the attack on Kinzen'an, and the stealing of the Seiten Sutra by her stepfather and his group. I have a feeling that he will finish what he started, or die trying…" Toma's pale eyes, dimmed as they were, still moved to track the traces of motion he heard from the stairs. "…because, after all, you have what he wants. If Rozen and his youkai gang are lightning," an acknowledging head tilt to the blond priest who had stopped in his descent from the upstairs to listen to the conversation, "then you, Genjyo Sanzo, are the lightning rod."


End file.
